Some dispensers, such as cleaning detergent dispensers, create the detergent by introducing a liquid, such as water, to contact a solid product chemistry. The resulting solution has a concentration based upon the amount of the solid product chemistry that is eroded and mixed with the liquid. In addition, changes to the flow of the liquid and the addition of makeup liquid to the solution can provide for more control over the concentration of the solution prior to being dispensed for its end use application from the dispenser. The liquid, both the contact liquid and the makeup liquid, can be provided from the same location, which can be a sink, hose, or other standard device of a home or business.
The liquid can be attached to the dispenser via a hose or hoses. However, to avoid contamination of the source of the liquid by the formed solution, backflow prevention devices are included with the dispensers. The backflow prevention devices are generally mounted to a dispenser and connected to the hose or hoses and provide for one-way flow of the liquid to the dispenser and the solid product chemistry, while preventing the formed solution from travelling back through the hose or hoses and into the liquid source, such as a community water source. The use and regulation of the backflow prevention devices is done by a municipality or government, and is generally regulated on a regional or national level.
However, the governments of the different regions and/or nations may have different regulatory requirements for the backflow prevention devices. They do not all agree that the same flow interrupters can be used with a dispenser that is used throughout the various regions and/or nations. Therefore, the dispensers must be made specifically to accommodate the various regulations for the backflow prevention devices, which can include multiple molds, components, etc., which may change over time. This results in a greater cost for designing and manufacturing a dispenser, as they will have to be made specifically for the different regulations around the world.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a backflow prevention housing and assembly that is modular in the sense that the housing and assembly can be used with a near global or universal variety of flow controls as are acceptable by the various regulations of the regions and nations around the world.